This invention relates to the manufacture of chenille yarns. More specifically, the invention is directed to a method of making multi-segmented chenille yarns on a crochet knitting machine. In multi-segmented chenille yarns, adjacent longitudinal segments of the yarns are formed from different constituent yarns or filaments and can have different physical properties. The invention specifically encompasses making multi-colored chenille yarns without any need for application of dye to the finished yarns by manufacturing chenille yarns with segments formed from constituent yarns or filaments of different colors.
In the prior art, chenille is made in a flat form, or a form having a generally rounded cross section, i.e., akin to a pipe cleaner. The latter, generally round form, is usually more desirable than the flat type of yarn.
Prior art flat chenille yarns are produced on machines specifically made to produce this type of yarn. These machines typically use a form of twisting or spinning yarns around a V-shaped former foot. As the yarns progress down the "V", a circular knife is slid up the "V" for cutting the yarn fibers thereby forming a chenille yarn. Flat chenille yarns are also produced on leno type weaving machines in the form of a fabric which is then slit into flat chenille yarn. The aforementioned prior art methods of producing chenille yarn require specialized machinery which is expensive and consumes valuable space in a yarn-producing factory.
It is also known in the art to knit a fabric from which chenille yarns are obtained by slitting the knitted fabric as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,845,783 to Underwood for Chenille Fur Strips and Method of Manufacture. U.S. Pat. No. 1,981,741 to Morton for Manufacture of Chenille also discusses manufacturing chenille by first producing a preparatory cloth and then cutting the cloth into strips which constitute the chenille. U.S. Pat. No. 3,715,878 to Kim for a Process for Making Chenille-Type Yarn discloses the formation of flat chenille yarns by slitting a fabric between warp threads.
Multicolored chenille yarns, that is yarns having longitudinal segments of different colors, are known for use in achieving decorative effects. In order to manufacture such multi-colored yarns, it has heretofore been necessary to dye segments of the yarns along their lengths or sections of fabric from which the chenille yarns are cut. Dyeing is a time consuming and expensive process which can significantly increase the cost of manufacture of multi-colored yarn vis-a-vis conventional monotone yarn. Moreover, because yarns are generally dyed in a wound disposition, spacing between color changes varies along the radius of the winding.
It is known in the art to employ colored filaments in the manufacture of yarns which can have a space-dyed appearance. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,285 to Chester, et al. for a Process For Making Multicolor Multifilament Non Commingled Yarn teaches how to assemble different colored filaments into a single yarn which can provide multicolor effects rather than a diffused or blended color effect, including a space-dyed appearance and a "chunky appearance." U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,993,218 and 5,056,200 to Schwartz et al. for Textured Yarns And Fabrics Made Therefrom also describe a method for making yarns which can have a space-dyed appearance when multicolored supply yarns are employed. However, neither Chester et al. nor Schwartz et al. disclose how to produce multicolored chenille or chenille-like yarns, or how to produce such yarns on a conventional crochet knitting machine.